MS Nazki

Rajouri, Feb 9 : An army soldier was critically injured in sniper fire in sniper fire from across the border along the Line of Control (LoC) in Nowshera area of Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday.

Official sources told GNS that Pakistan army in “violation of ceasefire” attacked the army post of 24 MLI Regiment at Kalal along the border in Nowshera sector.

In the incident, a Sepoy identified as Sepoy Satish Kumar suffered critical bullet wounds in his abdomen. He was airlifted to Army’s command hospital in Udhampur for treatment where his condition is said to be critical, they said.

Station House Officer (SHO) Nowshera Mohammad Amin Malik also confirmed the incident to GNS.

“Sepoy was hit by the sniper fire from across the border,” he said. (GNS)

JAMMU, FEBRUARY 09: The Government has, on the directions of Governor Satya Pal Malik, announced ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh each for the next of kin of those killed in snow avalanches and shooting stones at various places across the State during the recent snowfall.

Expressing deep grief over the loss of precious human lives in these tragic incidents, the Governor lauded the efforts of the rescue teams and local volunteers for accomplishing the challenging task of search and rescue operation despite facing extreme weather conditions.

He also expressed condolences with the bereaved families and directed the health department to provide best possible medicare facilities to the injured.

Pertinently, eight persons including six Police/Fire & Emergency Personnel and two civilians were killed and three others injured in a tragic incident when an avalanche struck north portal of Jawahar Tunnel in Qazigund area.

Three Police Personnel rescued from Jawahar Tunnel avalanche are undergoing treatment.

In another incident a couple was killed when an avalanche hit their house at Sund Brari in Kokernag area. A youth was killed in a similar incident at Chairhaar in district Baramulla.

In Jammu division, two persons died and two others were injured in landslide and shooting stones in Ramban area on Srinagar-Jammu highway.

Similar incidents took place in Bubail are of district Kishtwar and Chinkha area of Arnas in district Reasi.

The Government has asked the Divisional Commissioners of Jammu/Kashmir to immediately release ex-gratia relief to the next of kin of the deceased and extend all possible assistance to the injured.

JAMMU, FEBRUARY 09: Jammu and Kashmir State Judicial Academy today organised Two Day Training Programme on “Sensitizing Judges on Family Court Matters” in the State Judicial Academy, at High Court Complex, Jammu.

The District Judges and the Senior Sub-Judges of the State participated in the programme.

Chief Justice, Gita Mittal, in her inaugural address said that sensitisation of all the stakeholders on Family Court matters is the call of the Hour and that holding of such training programmes will help in creating an atmosphere where family disputes may be dealt with utmost sensitivity.

Further elaborating on the subject of the training programme, Chief Justice Gita Mittal emphasised that family harmony provides a sense of belonging and a feeling of security unlike many other types of relationships. Whether the disharmony emanates from within the family unit or from external sources, individual family member and the family as a whole can experience a range of negative emotions and consequences.

She said unresolved conflict may irreparably damage a marriage and even the entire family. She wished that the Family Courts which would become operational shortly would deal with the Family Court matters with much more sensitivity, giving appropriate priority to resolving the disputes in a humane manner.

Justice Rajesh Bindal interacted with the participants during the training session. He told the Judges that it is imperative to be innovative in approach while dealing with sensitive matters of family and incidental matters like child custody.

He advised the participants to take cue from the life experiences and try to resolve the family dispute coming to the Courts on negotiated settlement, and in this process to inspire the parties to choose alternative modes of dispute resolution rather than involving themselves in procedural wrangling in the regular trial proceeding.

Justice Tashi Rabstan earlier in his introductory address said that it is the first training programme of Judges after enactment of Family Courts Act, 2018. He said J&K has travelled a long journey to put in place the legislation exclusively dealing with the family matters and creation of special courts for the purpose.

He also spoke about the need for having specialised courts and sensitive atmosphere for resolving the disputes pertaining to the marriage and the incidental matters. He also gave an overview of the training programme and said that a Family Court Judge has multiple roles of a mediator, a conciliator and a settler in handling the sensitive matters.

Resource Person Justice Manju Goel, Judge (Retd.) and Justice RoshanDalvi, Judge (Retd.) deliberated upon the Gender Sensitization, Gender Perspectives and Matrimonial Mediation. Justice RoshanDalvi highlighted the need of sensitisation among the Judges, Conciliators and other persons who are essential to constitute a Family Court.

She presented gender perspective which a presiding Judge has to be aware about while discharging the functions of the Court. She said that in our common behaviour we have developed in our minds some stereotypes about the role, status and the responsibilities of a woman, and it is commonly believed that a woman has the role of home maker only which is not a fact in the present scenario. It is requisite to shun such rigid ideas and to accept the reality that a woman is also an equal partner in the family and she has right of equality granted under the Constitution.

The programme shall continue on the second day with discourses of Aruna Farswani and Swati Chauhan, Principal Judges of the Family Courts in Maharastra, on Working of Family Courts and the issues related to child custody, access and visitation rights.